As a kid, I was in heaven. I could sneak off to my Easter basket whenever I wanted and dig in.

I just had to use a little moderation because I knew I had to have room for a sweet-filled Easter brunch.

That's where muffins like these come in. I love carrot cake with Easter brunch, but when you add in cream cheese danishes and chocolate croissants it gets to be a bit much for one day.

These muffins have almost everything I love in carrot cake (minus the cream cheese icing and some of the sweetness), but they're much healthier. They're loaded with carrots and walnuts. They're absolutely divine warm.

If you serve these for Easter brunch, your guests will still have room for dessert. If you make them just for yourself, you'll be extra delighted. These freeze incredibly well and are easy to reheat in the mornings for breakfast.

Carrot Cake Muffins
recipe adapted from Stonewall Kitchens

If you prefer a more intense nutty flavor, feel free to toast the walnuts. I like there to be just a hint of walnuts so I left them plain.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Whisk in oil, almond milk and vanilla until well combined. Pour the oil/egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently. Add the carrots, coconut and walnuts. Mix until just combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared cups, filling each one about halfway.

Bake the muffins for 13 to 17 minutes, until the tops of the muffins are pale golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the muffins from the oven. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, and then remove them from the pan. Place them on a wire rack to cool.

Prepare the walnut cream cheese spread: Using a soft spatula to combine the cream cheese and walnuts. Serve aside the muffins. It is especially delicious on the muffins when warm.

6 comments:

Did you use the almond milk? I accidently bought sweetened almond milk the last time and am looking for ways to use it (as I prefer unsweetened for drinking). A batch or two of these to share seems like a good use!